1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plated material and to a method of manufacturing the same, to a terminal member for a connector, and to a connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Terminals of such as connectors for electrical wiring used in automobiles are manufactured by press working, blanking or bending of a copper alloy sheet. To enhance electrical connection characteristics of the resulting terminals, the copper alloy sheet is often subjected to Sn or Sn alloy plating. For example, Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 7-268511 discloses an example of such terminals.
As multi-functionalization has recently progressed, electric and electronic circuits have become complicated and multipolarization of connectors used therein has advanced, and thus demands for multi-pin connectors have increased. For example, the automobile assembling process includes numerous processes for mounting connectors by workers. With the spread of multi-pin connectors, insertion force (and withdrawal force) of the connectors tend to increase and it becomes necessary to take worker fatigue into consideration. Therefore, multi-pin connectors having small insertion and withdrawal forces are required.
However, in a conventional terminal made of a Sn plated Cu alloy sheet, since both a male terminal and a female terminal have a relatively soft surface, sliding resistance between terminals was relatively large. Therefore, there was a limit to the reduction in the insertion and withdrawal forces.
In view of these circumstances, objects of the present invention are to provide a plated material capable of reducing insertion and withdrawal forces when used in a connector, and to provide a method for manufacturing the same, a terminal member for a connector, and a connector.